Tierney and DeMelo want to show the way for Senators against San Jose

SAN JOSE – To steal an old line from Ottawa Senators teammate Bobby Ryan, Chris Tierney and Dylan DeMelo are coming in hot.

Tierney and DeMelo, who joined the Senators from the San Jose Sharks in the training camp trade for former captain Erik Karlsson, have played significant roles as the Senators have won the first two games on their California road swing.

Now both would like nothing better than to complete a rarity – the California hat trick – in front of their old friends and former teammates.

“I’m looking forward to going back in there and it’s certainly nice coming in off two wins and with some momentum,” said Tierney, who scored twice in the Senators’ 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday and has five points in his past three games. “I’ve been thinking about (the return). I’ve got a lot of good friends there, a lot of good memories. I’m certainly looking forward to playing (at the SAP Center) again.”

DeMelo, meanwhile, has been part of a battered and bruised defence that has discovered the value of patience and what he calls a “total buy in” through the opening two stops in California.

“When you get traded, you look to see when you’re going to be playing your old team and at the California trip and you circle it on your calendar,” said DeMelo, who has become a vital part of the Senators top four on defence, as opposed to being a bit player on the back end of the Sharks defence.

Defenceman Dylan DeMelo has become a vital part of the Ottawa Senators’ top four.Justin Tang /
THE CANADIAN PRESS

“It is the type of game that you can’t get too emotional about, because it is just another game that we need to win. I’m very grateful for everything they did for me, but I’m really happy where I am right now.”

The Senators are no longer in the Eastern Conference basement, leapfrogging past the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers thanks to Thursday’s triumph over the Kings and Wednesday’s 2-1 overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks. They remain six teams and 13 points out of a wild card spot.

The roster is also a MASH unit, of sorts. Darren Archibald is expected to make his Senators debut, stepping into the lineup to replace centre Colin White, who is expected to be out at least a couple of weeks with a left shoulder injury suffered Thursday. Defenceman Ben Harpur is also out “week to week” with an upper-body injury and the club recalled Stefan Elliott from Belleville of the AHL on Friday.

“Well, whatever I’m going to put on the (dressing room) board is not what we’re going to have on the ice,” Senators coach Boucher said, with a chuckle, following a brief off-ice workout Friday. “I would love to give you lines, but as you saw (Thursday), we had wingers play centre and we had left wingers on the right and right on the left and we just managed it the best we could and we’re going to do the same (Saturday).”

With all due respect to the Ducks and Kings, the Sharks are a different animal altogether, baring their teeth and swimming past teams in recent weeks. They’ve won five straight, including a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, and are 7-0-1 in their past eight games.

“That’s a team that is probably playing their best hockey of the year so far and it’s a great test for us in a tough building,” said DeMelo.

For those who didn’t stay up to the wee hours to watch the wins over the Kings and Ducks, Senators’ success has been more about displaying patience than flash.

“Overall, it was a pretty good road game,” goaltender Anders Nilsson said of the win over the Kings, his second in consecutive nights. “It was a probably a pretty boring game to watch (in the third period), but it was a really good team effort.”

Nilsson will be back in goal against the Sharks.

For Boucher, it’s a sign of the growth and maturity that is starting to take hold.

“Patience, patience,” Boucher said of the key to the victories. “I’ve been saying it since the start of the year. On the road, you can’t come out thinking you’re going to win the game in the first period, because that’s actually how you kill yourself.”

So far, California has given the Senators renewed hope about their future. They will be in tough against a Sharks squad that figures to come in waves, but at least they’re riding a wave of their own. There’s also motivation in wanting the best for the former Sharks.

“We were joking about that,” said Zack Smith. “We were saying there was going to be quite a few standing ovations or videos. It’s fun. It always adds a little excitement. You want to do well for the guys that came from San Jose. They have something to prove.”

FAMILIAR TERRITORY

SAN JOSE – Ottawa Senators rookie Rudolfs Balcers knows his way around the SAP Centre.

In fact, nobody in the Ottawa Senators lineup came close to scoring as many goals as Balcers did in the building during the 2017-18 season.

A year ago with the San Jose Barracuda, who play their home games here, Balcers scored 23 goals and 25 assists in 67 games.

“It’s weird, but at the same time it’s nice to be back,” said Balcers, who was one of the prospects that came to the Senators in the Erik Karlsson swap in training camp.

Since being called up from Belleville of the AHL, Balcers has a goal and an assist in his four games with the Senators, learning more each time out.

“Every game I feel a little more comfortable out there, but at the same time, I’m just trying to make the simple plays.”

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